Legacy of Linebeck
by Kojinka
Summary: A series of short stories with Grandfather interacting with Grandson.
1. Chapter 1

A brown haired teenager leaned his back against the wall, gazing at the patterns of the wood floor. Observing small details of his surroundings usually calmed his nerves during hard times. This time, however, so many thoughts swam through his mind that it began to overwhelm the boy. His pointed ears perked at the sound of the doorknob, and he quickly turned his head to face the opening door a couple yards next to him. "How is he doing?" the teen asked the man stepping into the room.

The older man pushed his glasses up to look into the taller boy, whose green eyes were filled with concern. "Your grandfather will be unable to move around much in his current state, but he's being very optimistic, and sharp as ever."

"Really, Doc?" the boy's face shined.

"Knowing the tradesman, he can be brave when he needs to be." the man nodded.

The boy's smile suddenly disappeared. "What do you mean 'when he needs to be'? He'll be okay, won't he?"

"That, I cannot be certain, Beck," the doctor shook his head. "Your grandfather's strength is waning; however, I don't believe it to be anything other than natural causes. Let me know how he's doing tomorrow."

The glint in Beck's eyes dimmed. "I understand," he mumbled.

"No matter what happens, I want you to be brave as well. "

"Okay, thank you, sir."

As the doctor left for the train station, the teen stepped into the bedroom. In the bed was his grandfather, the proud Captain Linebeck. "Gramps?"

"C'mon over, kid!" the old man's green eyes had that same glint that the boy knew so well.

Beck smiled softly. Although his voice sounded faint, the elderly man spoke with the same wit he always had.

"Grandpa," Beck said as he walked slowly to Linebeck's side. "You're gonna make it. I know it!"

"We all have to leave sooner or later, my boy," the captain shook his head with a soft smile. "Think of fate as a voyage that we all must eventually embark on."

"G-grandpa," Beck's eyes stung from the tears he was struggling to hold back. "Please. I don't want you to leave yet."

Linebeck lightly whacked Beck's arm with his cane. "That's enough of that! Do you really think I want the image my fourteen year-old apprentice blubbering to be the last scene I witness?"

Beck cringed. For a dying man, Linebeck's swat could still leave a little throb on the teen's arm. "I'm sorry, sir," Beck cradled his arm with his other hand. "I'm just... You're the only family I've ever known."

"Don't apologize," the captain sighed, "I know losing a loved one can be very hard, and grieving is a natural response. But don't be too sad, kid. This old sea dog has lived more than a full life."

Beck opened his mouth but nothing came out for the first three seconds. "But Grandpa… …what will I do without you?"

"Did you really think I'd leave my only survivor with nothing?" Linebeck raised his hand in protest. "You are fully capable of taking care of yourself here, running the trading post. After all," a smirk curled on his wrinkled face. "You were taught by the greatest treasure expert in Hyrule and the Great Sea."

A small grin formed on Beck. His grandpa's self-loving attitude had always been part of what made Linebeck the proud man he was. And behind that treasure-hungry twinkle in the captain's eyes was wisdom learned through many years of life experiences. The trembling young man, overwhelmed by fear and grief, felt a desire to slink away to a dark, timeless void to escape the harsh realities of the world.

"Spirit of Courage," Beck whispered toward the ceiling. "I could really use some help."

"Sparkles?" Linebeck teased. "Oh no!" he folded his arms. "She's just going to drive us both insane!"

Beck chuckled, having a vague idea of what his grandfather was talking about.

"You laugh now, but the retired captain of the guards over in Aboda was the only one that could keep the two of us away from each other's throats."

"Salvage aaaaaaarrrrmm!" In his indoor voice, Beck mimicked the cry heard around the world. "I'm going to miss your stories, gramps."

The tradesman's eyelids grew heavy. "The legacy of the legendary Captain Linebeck will live on," he told his grandson in a weary voice as he drifted off to what could be his last sleep.

Beck sat silently for a minute, monitoring his grandfather's rhythmic breathing. "Please, Gramps," he whispered. "Don't leave me yet."

Beck rolled out of bed the next morning. He slipped into his blue shirt, and observed himself in front of the mirror. The rings under his eyes brought on from his restless night gave the teen an almost uncanny resemblance to a younger Linebeck. Fearing the worst, Beck peeked out the curtain separating his side of the bedroom from his grandfather's. Linebeck lied motionless on his stomach, tangled in the covers, legs sprawled, arms wrapped limp around his drool-drenched pillow. "Grandpa?"

Linebeck, who would normally reply with a groggy mumble, remained silent and motionless. Beck's heart sunk as shuffled slowly toward his grandfather. Was this it? Was this how the teen's childhood would come to an abrupt end? Did he feel ready to meet the demands of young adulthood by himself? How would he handle times where the going would get tough? Would there be enough money to get by after the burial? These questions overwhelmed Beck as the tears streamed down his face. He kneeled down at the side of the bed with his head bowed down, unable to hold back his sobs. "Good night, captain, my captain."

"Pull yourself together, boy!" a familiar voice suddenly barked.

Beck's eyes shot up. Two lively green eyes focused on the stunned teen. There was Linebeck, leaning his upper torso on his arms. "And you didn't even check for a pulse? You still have a lot to learn, Linebeck III!"

"Grandpa," the teen's mouth gapped open, dumbstruck. "Are you…?"

"It's gonna take a lot more than a little bug to strike down the great Captain Linebeck!" The old sea man energetically sat up and swung his legs out of bed.

"You're alive and well?" Beck's eyes widened in disbelief and joy, and his tears of grief turned into tears of happiness. "I knew you'd pull through! I knew it!" he cried jovially as he tackled his grandpa with a hug. "You really are amazing!"

"Well, if you want me to be honest with you, Beck," Linebeck scratched the back of his head. "I was never really dying… I was… kind of… messing around."

Beck gave his grandpa a cold glare. "That wasn't very funny."

"I'm just preparing you for the inevitable," the captain stated matter-of-factly.

"And the doctor," Beck inquired. "Was he in on your little sick joke as well?"

"The doc and I have been well acquainted since the day we first settled in Hyrule."

Beck stared irritably, thinking about suggesting other ways for his grandpa to prepare him for adult life. His glare softened as he convinced himself that the more conventional means he had in mind were just not Linebeck's style. "What am I going to do with you, Gramps?" he shook his head bemusingly.

Linebeck grinned sheepishly like a misbehaved child's unsuccessful attempt to look innocent.

"Wow, you really haven't changed much, have you, Linebeck?" a high feminine voice echoed through the room.

"I don't need any of your sass, Sparkles!" Linebeck shot his finger toward the ceiling.

Beck, who also heard the voice, gawked at the ceiling. "You never told me Ceila could communicate across different realms."

"I never knew she could till just now," Linebeck murmured, still staring at the ceiling. The tradesman and his apprentice looked at each other, both, without saying a word, agreeing to never speak of this morning again.


	2. Like Father, Like Son

AN: Change in direction. This short story takes place about 15 years after the events of Phantom Hourglass. Link is in the closing years of his young adulthood, Linebeck is in his late 40's (still as sexy as ever!). When they aren't looking for the New Hyrule with Tetra and her crew, Link and Linebeck still like to go on treasure hunts. Linebeck's kid occasionally tags along. The next Linebeck III story is in the works, but I'm taking a small break from it due to writers block. And I'm going to be busy with Pokemon Soul Silver for the next week or so.

Linebeck II, AKA Junior, leaned his forehead against the railing with his legs dangling off the edge of the deck. He watched wave after wave splash against the glimmering golden hull. Had it not been for the soft roar of the sea and the small flock of seagulls chirping overhead, the deck would have been covered with dead silence, until a masculine voice next to him spoke. "You okay?"

Junior turned and saw a knee near him covered with white tights. A green tunic blanketed the man's upper legs and mid-section. "Just bored I guess," Junior sighed. "Are we getting close, Link?"

Link rubbed his chin. "I'd say it might take us another half hour."

"We've been out here all day!" Junior whined. "How does a sailor pinpoint their location at sea on a map with just a compass, and little to no landmarks between islands?"

"I found myself asking the same thing when I was a kid. Your father always told me we'd get there when we get there," Link paused. "Then, he would tell me to shut up."

Junior muttered sarcastically, "You two always did have a way words."

Link stood up. Pressed a button at the bridge, releasing a mechanism to summon the cannon on deck. "Want to blow up some seagulls?" Link asked. "That always cheers me up whenever I'm bored at sea."

"You mean you're going to let me play with the cannon?" Junior's green eyes sparkled.

"Why not?" he patted the hard metal neck of the cannon. "I was manning this beast when I was your age."

Junior approached the cannon with his jaw dropped. The gold metal adorning the cannon glistened in the sunlight. Junior was on the verge of salivating.

In the engine room, "Dot DAAAAH, Dot DAAAAH, Dot DAH-daht DAHT DAHT-" –BOOOOM- Linebeck furrowed his brow, staring up toward the deck. His sharp eyes spotted no enemies outside. –BOOOOM- The captain shook his head. Hero or not, Link just refused to grow up. The third blast shook the boat more violently than usual, causing Linebeck to loose his balance and fall back. "And that kid is HOW old now?" Linebeck fumed as he straightened his coat.

"Dad is going to be furious…" Junior murmured in a low voice as he and Link stared with dread at the dent in the lip of the ship's golden chimney. As soon as they heard the ship's engine stop, they just knew they were about to get an earful from the captain.

"What in blazing heck is going on up here?" Sure enough, there in the doorway to the bridge, stood Captain Linebeck, glowering at the hero and the child. His long blue coat flapped in the breeze.

"Uhh…" A large sweat drop rolled down the sides of Link and Junior's faces.

"Look, Link!" Junior pointed to the sky toward the prow. "The birds are burning! Isn't it beautiful?"

"Golly!"

Linebeck smacked his face, growling. "Fine," he rolled his eyes. "Play your childish games. We'll be approaching land soon."

Junior was getting antsy. "How soon?"

"When I say so, now keep any eye open for the sea monsters, and zip it!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Link and Linebeck Jr. simultaneously saluted.

Linebeck turned heel and marched back to the steering wheel in the engine room, slamming the door behind him.

Link and Junior sighed. Thank the goddesses the captain didn't see the damage, but they knew it would only be a matter of time.

"So what do we do now?" Junior crooked his head up to the Hero of Winds.

The boy and young man eventually set up a game of Chess on the checkerboard pattern deck. Neither of them knew what they doing.

"Checkmate."

"You can't checkmate me," Junior crossed his arms, smirking. "My knight is Kinged. Which means I can do this to your Bishop." Junior picked up one of the knights from his end of the board, and knocked over one of Link's Bishops at the opposite end of the borderless board with a move that defied all logics of Chess.

Linebeck's voice could be heard singing his theme below deck, distorted by the communication tube.

"I so want that song when I grow up!" Junior smiled jokingly, yet with a hint of honesty.

Link chuckled. He had to admit it was a pretty catchy tune.

Link and Junior soon enough found themselves bored again.

"Where are your treasure charts?"

"Your dad has them."

"Go figure," the boy sighed.

Link and the boy bathed in the sun for the next few minutes. Their ears perked as they heard their captain shout the sighting of land.

"I don't know about this, sir," Link looked at Linebeck with a skeptical look. "If I were still small enough to crawl through holes that size, I'd explore it, but that tunnel looks like it could crumble any minute. Do you really think this is ethical?"

"We each sense something in there," Linebeck stated matter-of-factly. "And this," pointing at the 'x' on one of Link's treasure charts, "confirms it! Junior is the only one of us who can fit through that hole."

As the two men argued, Linebeck Jr. stared into a hole in a small cliff cautiously.

"If it's about the cannon, I'm really sorry!"

"Oh, I have a different punishment in store for you two for that."

The boy, on his hands and knees, proceeded to crawl into the tunnel.

"I'll find you a new Golden Chimney! No matter how long it takes! You won't have to pay a single rupee! Just PLEASE don't stuff us into the laundry crate!"

"I only did that to you once!" Linebeck crossed his arms. "If I remember correctly, you were throwing cuccos at me!"

"I was only 12!"

"Ancient Coin!" the boy exclaimed jovially from the tunnel.

Link and Linebeck's heads quickly turned toward the boy's voice. The hero eyed the hole warily, while the captain beamed excitedly.

"Excellent work, my boy!" Linebeck struck a charismatic pose, wearing his wide treasure-hungry grin.

Link was unable to shrug off the bad feeling he had about the tunnel "Get out of there before it-"

The hill trembled mildly as the tunnel caved in.

The young man instinctively took out his shovel, silently cursing to himself. "I knew there was a reason I don't talk much."

Linebeck, feeling his stomach twist, assisted Link, using his hands to shove the loose dirt aside. How could he have been such a blind, selfish, old fool? His eyes gleamed as a small brown head popped out, alive and gasping for air. "Dad, Link," he whispered as he pushed his hand out, giving the two men a thumb up, smirking.

The two men heaved a synchronized sigh of relief as they continued digging the boy out.

Once he was pulled out, Linebeck Jr. laid flat on the loose heap of dirt, breathing heavily. The father lifted him gently, and headed for the ship. Link followed next to them. Though the Hero of Winds was fully grown, Linebeck still had him beat by a few inches.

"Wait, Dad!" Junior spoke softly. He tried to speak out louder, but his oxygen had yet to fully recover. "I dropped the coin,"

Junior expected his father to drop him without warning, and send him back to fetch the treasure. The captain, however, simply shook his head. His typically apathetic face grew warm and gentle. "Forget the coin, kid. It's just a worthless hunk of metal compared to the treasure I could have lost today."

Junior stared at his father. "Link and I really are sorry about the dent on your ship."

Link attempted to clarify the captain's words. "I think he's referring to a much more valued treasure."

"Okay, I'll bite," the confused boy blinked. There was only one other thing he was aware of that his father valued more than his ship. "When were you about to lose yourself?"

The boy felt his father's arm squeeze ever so lightly around him, still gentle enough to allow the boy to recover his air supply. To the child's surprise, it almost felt like a hug! Linebeck was by no means cold, but hugging was not his preferred way to express affection. "Junior, you could've been a goner if Link and I weren't there to dig you out! I'm sorry if I pressured you to enter that tunnel."

The boy shook his head. "I was drawn more to the treasure more than anything else."

Linebeck could only smile. Junior was, without a doubt, his father's son. As proud as the captain was, though, he could not help but worry for his son's well being.

It was then that Junior noticed his father's moist eyes. It looked as if tears recently rolled down his cheeks. "Were you crying, Dad?"

"Me?! Nah! Just…" Linebeck sniffed. "Allergies… yeah."

Link and Junior exchanged smiles. They both knew that what Linebeck wanted to say was not something that he felt comfortable saying out loud. Junior decided to take opportunity and reply to the captain's unspoken words, and hugged his father around the shoulders. The captain's whiskers scratched lightly against the boy's ear. "I love you too, dad."

Linebeck flushed a little. "If your mother asks, don't say a word about this. She will strangle both of us with a snake whip if she finds out!"

The child's face paled. Junior may be slightly more fearless than his father, but if there was anything that could strike fear into both of them, it was the mother's wrath. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Linebeck turned to Link with a stern, serious face. "You saw nothing!"

Link nodded. "Your secret is safe with me, sir."

The group fell silent for a long moment until Junior spoke. "Dad, about the dent,"

"Both of you are still going to be punished."

"But why me?" Link whined.

"Because you act like a child trapped inside a 27 year-old body!"


End file.
